Duke / Fuqua - 03-10-2022 | Clear Admit ApplyWire

March 10, 2022 9:37am ET

Applying: Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UT Austin / McCombs, UVA / Darden

Intake Year: 2023

Pre-MBA Career: Aerospace/Defense Contractor

Post-MBA Target Industry: Pharmaceutical, Consumer Goods, MF, Auto, Aerospace Companies: Johnson & Johnson , Pfizer , Coca Cola , PepsiCo , Proctor & Gamble , Boeing , GE , GM , Seimens

GMAT: 690

GPA: 3.54

Years of Work Experience: 3

Location: Florida

Post MBA Location: Southeast

Notes:

Hi Graham and Alex! I’m so excited to finally be applying to business school! I’ve actually been listening to the podcast since I graduated from undergrad in 2019 so this is definitely surreal to be posting this.
I have a degree in Finance from a Top 20 Public University and currently work in the contracts and pricing department for a Fortune 100 Aerospace/Defense company. I am open to a couple of paths after business school including supply chain or strategy roles in either CPG and healthcare companies.
As far as the GMAT goes, I know you’ll probably want me to retake it but I’ve taken it 4 times already and I think 690 is the highest I can manage.
As for EC’s outside of work, I helped create and now am a leader for my church’s young adult group for people in their 20s-30s that help them grow in their faith as well as network with other young professionals. I also volunteer monthly at my local Second Harvest Food Bank.

One worry of mine is that freshman year I failed a calculus class. The good news is I retook it the following summer and got an A, but was just wondering how negatively this will affect my candidacy.

Thanks for your insights and love the podcast! It’s helped me discern so much since I started working after college

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Show Comments (5) Last: March 22, 2022

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1583 Very glad you’re enjoying the podcast. Re your calculus course, was there a reason for the fail, other than the material is hard? Retaking and getting the A solves the issue, but going from fail to A is a big leap. 690 will certainly be within range, just doesn’t let you stand out on that metric. Are you able to show impact at work, any leadership opps etc? That will really help. If not currently present, seek them out. I’d also try to narrowed the focus of your short term goal, and do you have a long term goal? (0)

austinc12 Likes Earned: 9 Thanks for the reply Alex! The calculus class was definitely kind of hard. I even went to office hours each week. The professor also wasn’t the greatest but I think I wanted to stick it out and try my best. But in reality I probably should have dropped the class. At work I was promoted just recently to level 2. I have certainly taken on bigger contracts/more complex programs as I have been here the last few years. But all of my official leadership roles have been in clubs/organizations outside of work. Yes I do realize I have a lot of interest for post mba goals haha I’m open to a lot but can probably narrow it down to just strategy for a CPG firm (P&G, Coca Cola, Unilever, etc) and I hope to one day be a chief strategy officer for a similar company. (1)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1583 Focusing the goal helps sharpen your applications. Leadership outside of work is great, too. You might address the calc class, briefly, in the optional essay. (0)

austinc12 Likes Earned: 9 I will definitely try to focus on one career goal for the essays then! And yes I do plan on addressing the calculus class in the extra essay. Thank you! (1)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1583 More details on this candidacy in this episode of Wire Taps: https://www.clearadmit.com/2022/03/wire-taps-223/ (0)